Mary Sawatzky

Mary Sawatzky, 82, of St. James died on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at Mayo Clinic Health Services-St. James.

St. James Plaindealer - St. James, MN

Writer

Posted Mar. 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 27, 2012 at 8:16 PM

Posted Mar. 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 27, 2012 at 8:16 PM

St. James Plaindealer

Mary Sawatzky, 82, of St. James died on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at Mayo Clinic Health Services-St. James.

Mass of Christian burial was held on Monday, March 26, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church in St. James with Father Thien Nguyen as celebrant. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in St. James.

Visitation was held on Sunday, March 25, 2012 from 4:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a 4:00 p.m. rosary at Sturm Funeral Home in St. James. Visitation continued for one hour prior to the services at the church.

Mary Josephine Bird was born on March 20, 1930 to Michael and Carrie (Virgil) Bird in Hartley, Iowa. She and her family moved to Minnesota when she was five years old. She attended District 41 rural school near Butterfield, then she attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in Madelia through the 8th grade, graduating from Madelia High School. She then went to Cosmopolitan Beauty School.

In 1949 she married Delbert Ringheim. In 1970, she married Sid Voge, who died in a construction accident, and in 1975 she married Pete Sawatzky. She and Pete made their home on the Sawatzky farm near Butterfield.

Mary worked as a housekeeper, worked at Montgomery Wards, Tony Downs and Butterfield Foods as a nurse. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxillary, Butterfield Garden Club and Senior Citizens. She enjoyed reading, crafts and spending time with family and friends.